Telling the Story of the Chinese National Community to the Outside World

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, we have upheld fundamental principles and broken new ground, continuously advancing the adaptation of Marxist ethnic theory to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. We have clearly proposed taking the forging of a sense of community for the Chinese nation as the main line of the Party's ethnic work in the New Era and the main line of all work in ethnic regions, forming the Party's important thought on strengthening and improving ethnic work. However, in the international public opinion arena, some Western countries and unscrupulous media, often under the pretext of "human rights," attempt to weaken and dissolve the cohesion and centripetal force of the Chinese national community. In view of this, we must actively construct a foreign discourse narrative system for the sense of community for the Chinese nation, telling the story of the Chinese national community clearly, substantively, and vividly from multiple perspectives, thereby promoting the external dissemination of the sense of community for the Chinese nation and effectively responding to the challenge of the "discourse hegemony" of Western media on ethnic issues.

党的十八大以来，我们坚持守正创新，不断推进马克思主义民族理论中国化时代化，鲜明提出把铸牢中华民族共同体意识作为新时代党的民族工作主线、民族地区各项工作的主线，形成党关于加强和改进民族工作的重要思想。然而，在国际舆论场上，一些西方国家和不良媒体常常打着“人权”的幌子，妄图弱化和消解中华民族共同体的凝聚力和向心力。有鉴于此，我们必须积极构建中华民族共同体意识的对外话语叙事体系，以多维视角讲清、讲实、讲活中华民族共同体故事，从而推动中华民族共同体意识的对外传播，有效应对西方媒体在民族议题上的“话语霸权”挑战。

Basic Dimensions of the Foreign Discourse on the Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation

中华民族共同体意识对外话语的基本向度

The ethnic discourse of Western hegemonic countries and their media has its specific historical and cultural traditions, ideological and cultural resources, and social institutional foundations. In view of this, to promote the external dissemination of the sense of community for the Chinese nation, we should, on the basis of fully understanding the Western discourse context, proceed from the dimensions of Chinese civilization, the Chinese system, and human development, to tell vivid stories of the Chinese national community, so that forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation can acquire world significance that transcends nations and states.

西方霸权主义国家及其媒体的民族话语有其特定的历史文化传统、思想文化资源和社会制度根基。有鉴于此，推动中华民族共同体意识的对外传播，应在充分了解西方话语背景下，从中华文明向度、中国制度向度和人类发展向度出发，讲好中华民族共同体的鲜活故事，使得铸牢中华民族共同体意识能够获得超越民族和国家的世界意义。

First, tell the story of interactions, exchanges, and integration among all ethnic groups from the dimension of Chinese civilization. The civilization of a country or a nation is the spiritual source that drives its continuous development. For thousands of years, the people of all ethnic groups on the land of China, in the historical process of jointly opening up territories, jointly writing history, and jointly creating culture, have continuously expanded the scope of interactions, increased the level of exchanges, and deepened the degree of integration, giving birth to the long-standing, brilliant Chinese civilization and precious spiritual character. To construct a discourse system for the external dissemination of the sense of community for the Chinese nation, we should, on the basis of deeply grasping the outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization, deeply explore the historical stories of interactions, exchanges, and integration among people of all ethnic groups in different historical periods, highlighting that integration and unity are the eternal themes in the history of the Chinese nation's development. For example, from King Wuling of Zhao's adoption of nomadic clothing and cavalry tactics [1]1 King Wuling of Zhao (r. 325–299 BCE) was a ruler of the Zhao state during the Warring States period. His "adoption of nomadic clothing and cavalry tactics" (胡服骑射) refers to a reform in which he ordered his troops to adopt the clothing and mounted archery techniques of northern nomadic peoples to improve military effectiveness. to Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei's reforms [2]2 Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei (r. 471–499 CE) was a ruler of the Xianbei-led Northern Wei dynasty. His reforms included the sinicization of the court, such as adopting Chinese surnames, language, and dress, and moving the capital to Luoyang, to integrate the Xianbei elite into Chinese civilization., from the people of all ethnic groups in modern times jointly facing national calamity and resisting foreign aggression [3]3 This refers to the period of the War of Resistance against Japan (1937–1945) and earlier struggles against foreign imperialism, during which all ethnic groups in China united to resist invasion and national subjugation. to the people of all ethnic groups since the founding of New China jointly uniting and striving, actively participating in the construction and development of New China. By telling the stories of interactions, exchanges, and integration among people of all ethnic groups in different historical periods, the continuity, innovation, unity, inclusiveness, and peacefulness of Chinese civilization can be presented in a more three-dimensional and vivid manner.

一是从中华文明向度讲好各民族交往交流交融的故事。一个国家、一个民族的文明是推动其不断向前发展的精神本源所在。数千年来，中华大地上的各族人民在共同开拓疆域、共同书写历史、共同创造文化的历史进程中，交往范围不断扩大，交流层次不断扩容，交融程度不断加深，孕育出源远流长、璀璨辉煌的中华文明和宝贵的精神品格。构建中华民族共同体意识对外传播话语体系，应当在深刻把握中华文明突出特性的基础上，深入挖掘各族群众在不同历史时期交往交流交融的历史故事，突出交融统一是中华民族发展史上的永恒主题。例如，从赵武灵王胡服骑射到北魏孝文帝改革，从近代各族人民共赴国难、抵御外侮到新中国成立以来各族人民共同团结奋斗，积极投身于新中国的建设和发展。通过讲好各族人民在不同历史时期交往交流交融的故事，使得中华文明的连续性、创新性、统一性、包容性、和平性能够以更加立体、更为生动的方式呈现出来。

Second, tell the story of the unity and progress of the Chinese nation from the dimension of the Chinese system. For a long time, "Western-centrism," as the core of the Western discourse system, has advocated that Western institutional forms are universal and eternal, and has attempted to monopolize the power to define and adjudicate "democracy" and "human rights." Unlike the discourse hegemony of "Western-centrism," China has always advocated that each country's institutional choices should conform to its own national conditions, and under different institutional forms, the evaluation criteria for "democracy" and "human rights" should also differ. Based on the path choice and institutional arrangements for solving ethnic problems with Chinese characteristics, selecting story content, innovating narrative methods and approaches, telling the story of the unity and progress of the Chinese nation, and presenting a vivid picture of people of all ethnic groups helping each other, uniting and striving, and prospering the border areas and enriching the people, is conducive to escaping the discourse trap of "Western-centrism" and continuously enhancing the effectiveness of the external dissemination of the sense of community for the Chinese nation.

二是从中国制度向度讲好中华民族团结进步的故事。长期以来，“西方中心主义”作为西方话语体系的核心，鼓吹西方的制度形态具有普适性、永恒性，并试图垄断对“民主”“人权”的定义权和裁判权。不同于“西方中心主义”的话语霸权，中国历来主张每个国家的制度选择都应当符合自身国情，而在不同的制度形态下，“民主”“人权”的评价标准也应有所不同。立足中国特色解决民族问题的道路选择和制度安排，精选故事内容，创新叙事方式方法，讲好中华民族团结进步的故事，展现各族人民守望相助、团结奋斗、兴边富民的生动图景，有利于跳脱“西方中心主义”的话语陷阱，不断增强中华民族共同体意识的对外传播效能。

Third, disseminate the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind from the dimension of human development. The Chinese national community and the community with a shared future for mankind are closely linked in their destinies, contributing to the interests of all humanity and the development of world civilization. As a basic concept based on the new form of human civilization, the community with a shared future for mankind, starting from the overall position and long-term perspective of human development, elaborates on the Chinese solution for global governance and promotes the collapse and disintegration of the discourse hegemony of Western-centrism. To enhance the external dissemination of the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, we must insist on empowering it with digital technology, while expanding the radiation range of the concept, promoting the participation of multiple subjects, and enhancing the international influence of the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind through the collision and exchange of different civilizations. At the same time, as the greatest common denominator of the interests of all countries in the world, the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind should, in the process of external dissemination, break out of the "talking to oneself" model, fully combine the historical and cultural contexts of different countries, and while highlighting Chinese characteristics, use discourse systems that people of other countries can understand and are willing to accept for explanation, thereby improving the ability to "explain China to the world," enhancing the international community's understanding and knowledge of the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, and presenting China's image as civilized, democratic, open, and progressive.

三是从人类发展向度传播人类命运共同体理念。中华民族共同体和人类命运共同体的命运紧密相连，为全人类利益和世界文明发展贡献力量。作为立足人类文明新形态的基本理念，人类命运共同体从人类发展的整体立场和长远眼光出发，阐发了全球治理的中国方案，推动了西方中心主义话语霸权的瓦解与崩溃。增强人类命运共同体理念的对外传播力度，要坚持以数字技术赋能，在扩大理念辐射范围的同时，促进多元主体共同参与，在不同文明的碰撞交流中提升人类命运共同体理念的国际影响力。同时，构建人类命运共同体作为世界各国利益的最大公约数，在对外传播的过程中要跳出“自说自话”的模式，充分结合不同国家的历史文化语境，在凸显中国特色的同时，用他国民众能够理解、乐于接受的话语体系进行阐释，从而提高“向世界说明中国”的能力，增进国际社会对人类命运共同体理念的了解和认识，展现我国文明、民主、开放、进步的形象。

Practical Approaches for the External Dissemination of the Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation

中华民族共同体意识对外传播的实践进路

Cultivate multiple subjects for the external dissemination of the sense of community for the Chinese nation. The dissemination subject refers to the implementing subject in the process of external dissemination of the sense of community for the Chinese nation. Generally speaking, dissemination subjects mainly involve three categories: official subjects, civil subjects, and academic subjects. Among them, official subjects include Party and government organs and mainstream media, which can effectively convey China's values through authoritative narration and professional presentation; civil subjects include ordinary people, non-governmental organizations, and online opinion leaders, who are also indispensable important voices in international communication; academic subjects mainly include a wide range of scholars and research institutions, focusing on interpreting and explaining Chinese theory and Chinese practice through academic discourse. Currently, in the process of external dissemination of the sense of community for the Chinese nation, dissemination subjects are mainly official subjects, and the discourse content correspondingly focuses on "declarative discourse," "policy discourse," and "discourse for public opinion struggle." To a certain extent, this has countered the negative public opinion of Western countries regarding the Chinese national community, but it also suffers from insufficient warmth and depth. In view of this, while emphasizing the authority of official subjects, we should also fully leverage the role of civil subjects and academic subjects, encouraging civil subjects to refine stories of the Chinese national community from vivid daily life materials, while strengthening the interpretation and explanation of the sense of community for the Chinese nation by academic subjects, thereby forming a vivid situation where multiple dissemination subjects resonate at the same frequency.

培育中华民族共同体意识对外传播的多元主体。传播主体即中华民族共同体意识对外传播过程中的实施主体。一般而言，传播主体主要涉及官方主体、民间主体和学术主体三大类别。其中，官方主体包括党政机关和主流媒体，其通过权威的叙述和专业的呈现，能够有效地传达中国的价值观；民间主体包括普通群众、非政府组织和网络意见领袖等，在国际传播中也是不可或缺的重要发声力量；学术主体主要包括广大学者、科研机构等，侧重通过学术话语对中国理论和中国实践进行解读阐释。当前，在中华民族共同体意识的对外传播过程中，传播主体主要以官方主体为主，话语内容上也相应侧重于“宣示性话语”“政策性话语”和“舆论斗争性话语”。这在一定程度上回击了西方国家关于中华民族共同体的负面舆论，但也存在温度不够、深度不足的问题。有鉴于此，还应在强调官方主体权威性的同时，充分发挥民间主体和学术主体的作用，鼓励民间主体从鲜活的日常生活素材中提炼中华民族共同体故事，同时强化学术主体对中华民族共同体意识的解读阐释，从而形成多元传播主体同频共振的生动局面。

Select discourse texts for the external dissemination of the sense of community for the Chinese nation. Discourse texts concern the core proposition of what stories to tell. In the process of external dissemination of the sense of community for the Chinese nation, it is also necessary to select discourse texts and continuously enhance the pertinence of telling the story of the Chinese national community. Currently, Western countries mainly link ethnic issues with human rights, fabricating negative discourses such as "human rights violations" in an attempt to dissolve the cohesion of the Chinese national community. In response, China should not only respond by "appealing to facts," but also actively set agendas from the perspective of human rights, and by enhancing the pertinence of telling the story of the Chinese national community, effectively counter the negative public opinion of Western hostile forces. At the same time, based on the long-standing historical and cultural traditions of the Chinese nation and the real-life unity and struggle of people of all ethnic groups, we should select discourse themes of interactions, exchanges, and mutual assistance among people of all ethnic groups, condense vivid and lively discourse texts, tell the story of interactions, exchanges, and integration among people of all ethnic groups, tell the story of the unity and progress of the Chinese nation, and tell the story of advancing the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese-path modernization, thereby achieving a vivid interpretation of China's human rights discourse from the dual dimensions of history and reality.

精选中华民族共同体意识对外传播的话语文本。话语文本关涉讲什么故事的核心命题。在中华民族共同体意识的对外传播过程中，还需要精选话语文本，不断增强讲好中华民族共同体故事的针对性。当前，西方国家主要将民族议题同人权进行绑定，捏造出“侵犯人权”这类负面话语，妄图消解中华民族共同体的凝聚力。对此，中国除了要通过“诉诸事实”的方式进行回应，还应当从人权角度出发，积极进行议题设置，通过增强讲好中华民族共同体故事的针对性，有力回击西方敌对势力的负面舆论。同时，要立足中华民族悠久历史文化传统和各族人民团结奋斗的现实生活，拣选各族人民交相往来、守望相助的话语题材，凝练出鲜活、生动的话语文本，讲好各族人民交往交流交融的故事，讲好中华民族团结进步的故事，讲好以中国式现代化推进民族复兴伟业的故事，从而在历史和现实的双重维度实现中国人权话语的生动阐释。

Promoting technological transformation in the external dissemination of the consciousness of the Chinese national community. In recent years, with the widespread application and popularization of new-generation media technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence, the global communication ecology has been correspondingly affected. Media technology, as the infrastructure of global communication, operates against the realistic backdrop of countries around the world emphasizing technological innovation. China should also conform to the trend of the times, deeply grasp the new international communication ecology characterized by the globalization of communication reach, the universalization of communication subjects, and the unboundedness of communication content, and attach great importance to the research and development of media technology in the process of externally disseminating the consciousness of the Chinese national community. Currently, Western countries, using the international internet platforms they dominate, vigorously promote their values and lifestyles. This has also led to the problem that the international public opinion information flow intensity of the value concepts of China and other developing countries has encountered a certain degree of being obscured and offset. To this end, the external dissemination of the consciousness of the Chinese national community should strive to transition from a "borrowing a boat to go to sea" model to a "building a boat to go to sea" model. By increasing investment in the research and development of media technology, continuously upgrading algorithmic technology, and building more international communication platforms with China's independent intellectual property rights, through technological empowerment and corner overtaking [4]4 "Corner overtaking" (弯道超车) is a Chinese idiom referring to overtaking competitors on a curve in a race, used metaphorically to describe catching up or surpassing others by seizing opportunities during periods of change or technological transition., we can effectively construct a powerful international public opinion field for the external dissemination of the consciousness of the Chinese national community, thereby promoting the establishment of a just and reasonable new global communication order and enhancing the effectiveness of the external dissemination of the consciousness of the Chinese national community.

推动中华民族共同体意识对外传播的技术变革。近年来，随着大数据、人工智能等新一代媒介技术的应用普及，全球传播生态也相应受到影响。媒介技术作为全球传播的基础设施，在世界各国都注重技术革新的现实背景下，中国也应顺应时代发展的潮流，深刻把握传播触达全球化、传播主体全民化、传播内容无界化的国际传播新生态，在中华民族共同体意识对外传播过程中高度重视媒介技术的研发。当前，西方国家利用其主导的国际互联网平台，大肆鼓吹其价值观念和生活方式，这也导致中国及其他发展中国家的价值理念传播的国际舆论信息流强度遭遇一定程度的被遮蔽、被对冲的难题。为此，中华民族共同体意识的对外传播应当致力于从“借船出海”模式跨越为“造船出海”模式，通过加大对媒介技术的研发，不断升级算法技术，建设更多具有中国自主知识产权的国际传播平台。通过技术赋能与弯道超车，切实构建起中华民族共同体意识对外传播的强大国际舆论场，从而推动建立公正合理的全球传播新秩序，增强中华民族共同体意识的对外传播效能。

(The author is a doctoral student at the School of Marxism, Zhengzhou University)

（作者系郑州大学马克思主义学院博士生）

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧